Rapper Lil Durk acquitted in gas station murder-for-hire trial

Rapper Lil Durk acquitted in gas station murder-for-hire trial High-profile figures such as Ye, previously known as Kanye West, and Machine Gun Kelly attended the trial - Bookmark US rapper Lil Durk has been cleared by a federal jury of involvement in an alleged murder-for-hire plot targeting rival artist Quando Rondo, which left Rondo's cousin dead at a Los Angeles gas station. Following three days of deliberations, the 33-year-old Grammy winner from Chicago, best known for his 2023 hit "All My Life", was acquitted of conspiracy, murder for hire, and stalking resulting in death. High-profile figures such as Ye, previously known as Kanye West, and Machine Gun Kelly attended the fortnight-long trial in downtown Los Angeles, while crowds of supporters, content creators and streamers congregated outside the courthouse. Co-defendants David Lindsey and Deandre Wilson were similarly acquitted of murder for hire, though both were convicted of conspiracy to commit stalking, stalking using a dangerous weapon, and stalking resulting in death. “We thank the jury for seeing there was no murder for hire,” Wilson's attorney Craig Harbaugh said in an email. “We are confident the remaining counts will not survive our pending motion for acquittal.” Attorneys for Durk and Lindsey did not immediately respond to emails seeking comment. Durk, whose legal name is Durk Banks, remained in custody, pending a forthcoming trial on a racketeering count that was severed from this trial. He has been jailed since his 2024 arrest. Prosecutors had alleged that Durk paid to have Rondo killed after someone from Rondo’s entourage fatally shot rapper King Von, a close friend of Durk's and a member of his Only The Family hip-hop collective, at an Atlanta nightclub in 2020. The prosecution alleged that in August 2022, a group of men flew to Los Angeles with funds provided by Durk, followed Rondo and his crew around, and three gunmen fired on his Escalade near the Beverly Center shopping mall in Los Angeles. Rondo survived, but his 24-year-old cousin, Saviay’a Robinson, known as Lul Pab, was killed. “Today, the jury delivered justice to the family of Saviay’a Robinson, finding defendants Deandre Wilson and David Lindsey guilty of stalking resulting in Mr. Robinson’s death," First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli said in a statement. “While we are disappointed with the jury’s decision regarding Durk Banks, a.k.a. ‘Lil Durk,’ we look forward to presenting our evidence at his second trial." Durk won a Grammy earlier that year for Best Melodic Rap Performance for “All My Life,” which features J. Cole. He has been nominated for three other Grammys and was a featured performer on Drake’s “Laugh Now Cry Later.”